Liquid Fuel Depletion Tropical Agriculture Atmospheric Carbon Loading Hawaii’s Problem.

Liquid Fuel DepletionTropical AgricultureAtmospheric Carbon LoadingHawaiis Problem

Hawaiis Energy ConsumptionYear 2000

88%Petroleum

Increasing 2.8% per year vs. Worlds ~1%

State of Hawaii Energy Consumption for Year 2000 in Trillion BTUs

Petroleum271.988.4%Coal 14.5 4.7%Biomass 9.3 3.0%Municipal Solid Waste 5.1 1.7%Solar Hot Water 3.5 1.1%Geothermal 2.0 0.7%Hydro 0.8 0.3%Wind 0.2

WoodCheap OilEverything ElseCheap CoalExpensive OilLNGExpensive CoalEROEI ca 5:1*uranium*

Liquid Fuel DepletionTropical AgricultureClimate Change

Every 10 days in China, a new coal-fired power plant opens that is large enough to serve the city of Dallas, TexasThe increase in greenhouse gases from Chinas coal use will exceed that of all industrialized countries COMBINED

This is how your PV panels are madeWe externalize the impact of our demands

Liquid Fuel DepletionTropical AgricultureClimate Change

25% of US oil consumption goes to agriculture (NOT including packaging, refrigeration, and trucking)

Locally Grown EnergySustainable Soil AmendmentCarbon SequestrationA Better Burn

CCRTWeeds = FuelCCRTTraditional Hawaiian Values/Practices = Guidebook

A Better BurnGasification = ENERGY + char (carbon)Pyrolysis = energy + CHAR (carbon)

Locally Grown EnergySustainable Soil AmendmentCarbon SequestrationBetterBurn

Rothampstead Data100 year fallow following agricultureSoil carbon increased 300%30 tons per acre

Biochar lasts longer in soilLehmann et al., 2006, Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, in press

Carbon sequestration in soilLehmann et al., 2006, Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change,in press

Locally Grown EnergySustainable Soil AmendmentCarbon SequestrationBetterBurn

Amazonian Dark EarthHighly fertile compared to parent materialUp to 70% of C is black CADEAdjacent soilPhotos by J. Major

Increases Soil Surface Area1 gram of charcoal = 400 square meters1 ton of charcoal = 400,000 acres

Nutrient RETENTIONDecreased nutrient leachingbiocharLehmann et al. 2003, Plant and Soil 249: 343-357NH4+

Chart2

0.5

10.5

12.5

23

20

5

Dry Weight

weight (grams)

Biochar Trial - Tomato

Sheet1

TreatmentDaily FruitingDry Weight

Control00.5

Char51.510.5

Char100.512.5

Char20323

Char401.520

Soil+Fert0.25

Sheet1

Dry Weight

weight (grams)

Biochar Trial - Tomato

Sheet2

Daily Fruiting

daily fruiting

Biochar Trial Tomato

Sheet3

Chart1

0

1.5

0.5

3

1.5

0.2

Daily Fruiting

daily fruiting

Biochar Trial Tomato

Sheet1

TreatmentDaily FruitingDry Weight

Control00.5

Char51.510.5

Char100.512.5

Char20323

Char401.520

Soil+Fert0.25

Sheet1

Dry Weight

weight (grams)

Biochar Trial - Tomato

Sheet2

Daily Fruiting

daily fruiting

Biochar Trial Tomato

Sheet3

Locally Grown EnergySustainable Soil AmendmentCarbon SequestrationUHBiochar Project

ProblemHolapu ke ahi,Koe iho ka lehu

The fire blazed up,Then only ashes were left

After a blaze of anger (greed),The ashes of remorse are left

We are combustion junkies

GoalHo`oponoponoCorrect the imbalanceMake it right

1. Reduce atmospheric CO2 levels by sequestering carbon in the form of biochar in soil2. Become self reliant again for energy use and food production

ObjectiveKuleanaAssume responsibility

1. Burn local biomass for energy and carbon sequestration2. Improve agricultural sustainability by biochar carbon sequestration

StrategyGive people the knowledge and tools to be responsibleIdentify and demonstrate the use of non-native vegetation as fuel/carbon sourceTest and demonstrate small-scale gasification units that use local feedstock as fuel sourceDevelop and test small-scale pyrolysis units that use local feedstock as fuel/carbon sourceTest biochar produced from different local feedstockTest biochar application rates for improved agricultural productivityDevelop demonstration sites for integrated biomass harvesting, utilization, carbon sequestration, and biochar agriculturePromote the use if these techniques through research, demonstration, extension, and partnership with private enterprise

OutcomesRecognition by government, business and the public, that non-native vegetation is the only responsible fuel we have and that it must be intelligently but fully utilizedLocal production of responsible biomass combustion technologyAn annual doubling rate of increase in the use of small-scale biomass combustion (> 2000 by 2020 in Hawaii)Elimination of concept of greenwaste by diverting all to responsible combustionAn annual doubling rate of increase in the sequestration of carbon through biochar emendation of agricultural soil (500 acres at minimum of 10 tons/acre in Hawaii by 2020)

When most of us think of energy we think of fuels that are burned in our bodies or cars or sources of electricity. So what do we need to know about Kauais energy? More than any other State, Hawaii is almost entirely dependent upon oil for all its energy. The same dependence is also true for Kauai. Why should this be of concern?To help see this a little better, lets look the trend of energy return using different fuels. The magic line of 5 to 1 sparked the industrial revolution, when we went from burning wood to cheap coal. Cheap oil has given us the biggest bang for the buck, and everything else will give us less, with most non-hydrocarbon sources below the 5 to 1 line magic. The one caveat here is nuclear power. There are some studies that show high energy return after many years of production and return on the large upfront investment. But for many obvious reasons, this is not an option for Hawaii, much less Kauai.This leads into the area where our economy is going to be impacted by energy changes, and that is agriculture. 25% of US oil consumption goes to agriculture, and this does NOT include packaging, refrigeration and trucking). From an ecological and energetics perspective, we do, quite literally, EAT OIL.I compare this need to traditional Hawaiian concept of wealth, waiwai, abundant water. While this was a very different concept, the important thing is that it made them focus un fully understanding it and they wisely but intensely managing this form of wealth to make local communities prosper. If we dont understand the foundation of our wealth on Kauai currently, we can neither wisely or intensely manage it!We are replete with fuel. This solves the growing problemEconomy, manufacturing, Trailing Edge Technologies